Rigaud, Hyacinthe

Rigaud was one of the foremost painters of the later reign of Louis XIV. His subjects were drawn largely from court circles, specializing in the state portrait. His style included a greater formality to portraiture, in contrast to the previous style of understated elegance made popular by Titian and Anthony van Dyck. Rigaud's style continued dominate official portraiture in France into the 18th century. His brother Gaspard Rigaud (1661-1705) was also a portrait painter.